Sunday, June 25, 2006
June 23rd - 25th, The South of France
June 23rd, 2006
Friday, day of departure, road trip towards Uzes, the town I grew up in during the summers and some other holidays.
We started by going to Cannes to have lunch, so we went on the "croisette" which is the boardwalk in front of the beach.
Then we had lunch close to the marina where all the boats are parked.
We then went on our way taking the coastal road heading to St. Tropez (if anybody doesn't know, St. Tropez is one of the "hippest" riviera towns in France, very "jetset", which everyone knows we are so fond of... NOT!).
Briefly we went through Agay, St Raphael, Frejus, Les Issambres, St. Mazime, with St Tropez at the enf of the coastal ride we wanted to take.
St Tropez is very cute but the people are rude and it is a little too chichi for our tastes...
After that whole coastal detour we headed back north to catch the highway directly to Avignon where we got out and took the very known (to me) way to Uzes.
We arrived around 8pm, just in time for dinner which Nicole (my grand mother's best friend) had prepared.
Sorry kids, no photos this time... people are starting to tell us all we do is eat... ;-)
Vendredi, jour de depart pour Uzes. on a commence par aller a Cannes pour dejeuner, donc Croisette puis dejeuner dans une brasserie en face des bateaux. Apres tout ca on est partit sur la route de bord de mer et nous sommes passe par Agay, St Raphael, Frejus, Les Issambres, St. Mazime et enfin St. Tropez. St. Tropez etait tres mignon, mais les gens etaient rudes et c'etait un peu chichi pour nos gouts... Apres la route cotiere nous avons du repartir vers le nord pour prendre l'autoroute direct vers Avignon ou nous sommes sortit et avons prit la route bien connue (par moi) sur Uzes. Arrives vers 20H, juste a temps pour diner avec Nicole qui nous avait prepare un bon repas.
Desole les enfants, pas de photos cette fois-ci... Il y a des gens qui commencent a nous dire qu'on ne fait que manger... ;-)
St. Tropez:
Road to Uzes:
Route vers Uzes:
Chez Nicole:
June 24th, 2006
Breakfast:
Petit dejeuner:
Homemade apricot jam:
Confiture a l'abricot fait maison:
Saturday is market day in Uzes, so I had to take Mike to see that because it's one of my favorite things to do there!
We woke up early and took off after a leisurely breakfast with Nicole and her grand daughters, Lucie and Margaux.
The market was great, I showed Mike a little of what my childhood was about that way!
We also said hi on the way to a few people I know, bought a bunch of stuff again (how are we going to come back?!) and just enjoyed walking around the town which is completely covered in market stands (food, clothing, books, cds, housewares, oddities etc).
Samedi est le jour du marche a Uzes donc j'ai voulu amener Mike pour voir ca car c'est un de mes trucs preferes la bas! Nous nous sommes leves tot et avons prit un bon petit dej avec Nicole et ses deux petites filles, Lucie et Margaux. Le marche etait super, j'ai montre a Mike un peu de mon enfance comme ca! On a aussi dit bonjour a quelques personnes que je connais d'ici et avons achete enccore d'autres trucs (comment allons nous ramener tout ca!?) puis nous avons simplement marche a travers la ville remplie de stands du marche.
After that we went to the property my family still owns (it's only land next to the house we used to own).
Ensuite nous sommes alles a Montaren, la ou les parents on toujours le terrain.
We then had a big long lunch with Nicole and the girls and Mike went swimming with them which was fun, a little reading under the umbrellas and listening to the "cigales" singing.
On a dejeuner avec Nicole et les filles puis Mike est alle se baigner avec elles dans la piscine ou ils se sont bagarres. Un peu de lecture sous les parasols et conversations avec les cigales.
After this nappy afternoon we went to town (Uzes) and walked around, then went to the village where my family had their first vacation house in, Blauzac.
Apres une apres midi un peu "siesteuse" on est alles a Uzes faire une promenade, puis on est alles a Blauzac pour voir la premiere maison de vacance des Baron.
After coming back to Uzes we decided to have dinner there on the "places aux herbes" which is the main square in town and where a few films have been shot like Cyrano de Bergerac or Jean de Florette. It is a medieval town and of course there are a lot of buildings from later periods especially the 17th and 18th like on this square.
Apres etre revenu a Uzes nous avons decide de diner sur la place aux herbes, pour que Mike passe un peu de temps au milieu de tant d'histoire.
June 25th, 2006
Nicole's neighbors use the land in front of her house to host their sheep, which is good for Nicole too because it's natural mowing for her truffle oak trees on that piece of land.
This morning, as we were writing these last two entries after having breakfast, the neighbor came with one of her trained dogs and herded the "company" to another location behind the property...
Les voisins de Nicole (qui sont donc dans la maison qui etait un gite avant) ont des moutons qui restent sur le terrain devant la maison de Nicole, comme ca ca lui fait du labourage naturel, donc tout le monde est content. Ce matin quand on prenait notre petit dej, la voisine est venue avec son chien pour chercher les moutons pour les mettre derriere la propriete...
For lunch an old friend came over to Nicole's, Monique, who was a friend of my grand mother as well.
Then Mike and I rested for a little bit in our room and after that the girls came to get us to go swimming. So Mike went to be their personal swimming horse.
Pour dejeuner Monique est venue nous voir. Puis Mike et moi avons fait une mini sieste jusqu'a ce que les filles viennent nous chercher pour aller nager, et Mike leur a servit de cheval de piscine personel.
Friday, day of departure, road trip towards Uzes, the town I grew up in during the summers and some other holidays.
We started by going to Cannes to have lunch, so we went on the "croisette" which is the boardwalk in front of the beach.
Then we had lunch close to the marina where all the boats are parked.
We then went on our way taking the coastal road heading to St. Tropez (if anybody doesn't know, St. Tropez is one of the "hippest" riviera towns in France, very "jetset", which everyone knows we are so fond of... NOT!).
Briefly we went through Agay, St Raphael, Frejus, Les Issambres, St. Mazime, with St Tropez at the enf of the coastal ride we wanted to take.
St Tropez is very cute but the people are rude and it is a little too chichi for our tastes...
After that whole coastal detour we headed back north to catch the highway directly to Avignon where we got out and took the very known (to me) way to Uzes.
We arrived around 8pm, just in time for dinner which Nicole (my grand mother's best friend) had prepared.
Sorry kids, no photos this time... people are starting to tell us all we do is eat... ;-)
Vendredi, jour de depart pour Uzes. on a commence par aller a Cannes pour dejeuner, donc Croisette puis dejeuner dans une brasserie en face des bateaux. Apres tout ca on est partit sur la route de bord de mer et nous sommes passe par Agay, St Raphael, Frejus, Les Issambres, St. Mazime et enfin St. Tropez. St. Tropez etait tres mignon, mais les gens etaient rudes et c'etait un peu chichi pour nos gouts... Apres la route cotiere nous avons du repartir vers le nord pour prendre l'autoroute direct vers Avignon ou nous sommes sortit et avons prit la route bien connue (par moi) sur Uzes. Arrives vers 20H, juste a temps pour diner avec Nicole qui nous avait prepare un bon repas.
Desole les enfants, pas de photos cette fois-ci... Il y a des gens qui commencent a nous dire qu'on ne fait que manger... ;-)
St. Tropez:
Road to Uzes:
Route vers Uzes:
Chez Nicole:
June 24th, 2006
Breakfast:
Petit dejeuner:
Homemade apricot jam:Confiture a l'abricot fait maison:
Saturday is market day in Uzes, so I had to take Mike to see that because it's one of my favorite things to do there!
We woke up early and took off after a leisurely breakfast with Nicole and her grand daughters, Lucie and Margaux.
The market was great, I showed Mike a little of what my childhood was about that way!
We also said hi on the way to a few people I know, bought a bunch of stuff again (how are we going to come back?!) and just enjoyed walking around the town which is completely covered in market stands (food, clothing, books, cds, housewares, oddities etc).
Samedi est le jour du marche a Uzes donc j'ai voulu amener Mike pour voir ca car c'est un de mes trucs preferes la bas! Nous nous sommes leves tot et avons prit un bon petit dej avec Nicole et ses deux petites filles, Lucie et Margaux. Le marche etait super, j'ai montre a Mike un peu de mon enfance comme ca! On a aussi dit bonjour a quelques personnes que je connais d'ici et avons achete enccore d'autres trucs (comment allons nous ramener tout ca!?) puis nous avons simplement marche a travers la ville remplie de stands du marche.
After that we went to the property my family still owns (it's only land next to the house we used to own).
Ensuite nous sommes alles a Montaren, la ou les parents on toujours le terrain.
We then had a big long lunch with Nicole and the girls and Mike went swimming with them which was fun, a little reading under the umbrellas and listening to the "cigales" singing.
On a dejeuner avec Nicole et les filles puis Mike est alle se baigner avec elles dans la piscine ou ils se sont bagarres. Un peu de lecture sous les parasols et conversations avec les cigales.
After this nappy afternoon we went to town (Uzes) and walked around, then went to the village where my family had their first vacation house in, Blauzac.
Apres une apres midi un peu "siesteuse" on est alles a Uzes faire une promenade, puis on est alles a Blauzac pour voir la premiere maison de vacance des Baron.
After coming back to Uzes we decided to have dinner there on the "places aux herbes" which is the main square in town and where a few films have been shot like Cyrano de Bergerac or Jean de Florette. It is a medieval town and of course there are a lot of buildings from later periods especially the 17th and 18th like on this square.
Apres etre revenu a Uzes nous avons decide de diner sur la place aux herbes, pour que Mike passe un peu de temps au milieu de tant d'histoire.
June 25th, 2006
Nicole's neighbors use the land in front of her house to host their sheep, which is good for Nicole too because it's natural mowing for her truffle oak trees on that piece of land.
This morning, as we were writing these last two entries after having breakfast, the neighbor came with one of her trained dogs and herded the "company" to another location behind the property...
Les voisins de Nicole (qui sont donc dans la maison qui etait un gite avant) ont des moutons qui restent sur le terrain devant la maison de Nicole, comme ca ca lui fait du labourage naturel, donc tout le monde est content. Ce matin quand on prenait notre petit dej, la voisine est venue avec son chien pour chercher les moutons pour les mettre derriere la propriete...
For lunch an old friend came over to Nicole's, Monique, who was a friend of my grand mother as well.
Then Mike and I rested for a little bit in our room and after that the girls came to get us to go swimming. So Mike went to be their personal swimming horse.
Pour dejeuner Monique est venue nous voir. Puis Mike et moi avons fait une mini sieste jusqu'a ce que les filles viennent nous chercher pour aller nager, et Mike leur a servit de cheval de piscine personel.
